A Quick Guide To The Heritage City Of Amritsar

We have done an extensive research and compiled a list of things that every traveler must know before or while traveling to Amritsar. We are committed to reshaping the perspective of Amritsar Tourism and this here is a small token of gratitude to the fellow travelers. Hope this helps.

Weather in Amritsar

Summer Season

It starts in the month of April and lasts until June. The season is very hot and the temperature reaches up to 49 degrees Celsius. Travelers generally avoid this season because of the scorching heat.

Monsoon Season

July to October marks the monsoon season. The city experiences mild to heavy rainfall during this season. It gives much relief from the scorching heat of the summer. The climate is moderate which makes the weather cool and pleasant.

Winter Season

Winter in Amritsar starts in November and lasts through March. The temperature range during this season is 4 to 18 degrees Celsius. January is the coldest month of the period.

How To Reach?

By Air

Amritsar international airport (IATA: ATQ, ICAO: VIAR) is about 11 kilometers (7 mi) northwest of the city center. The major international cities connected are London, New York, Bangkok, Washington, Madrid, Milan, and Sydney. The domestic flights have direct connectivity to Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad. If you cannot get the flights of your choice, you can choose to land at Delhi international airport and then take a train to Amritsar. After you get down the airport at Amritsar, grab a taxi to your hotel. Ola Cabs(Android | iOS)provides reliable taxi services.

By Rail

Amritsar railway station is well connected with cities like Delhi, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata with multiple trains running throughout days. It is about 1.7 km away from the city center. You can use www.irctc.co.in or the IRCTC rail app (Android | iOS) to book the tickets. The following are major trains you can get to and from Delhi that run daily.

Train Name

Train No.

Origin

Departure Time

Destination

Arrival Time

Shane Punjab

12497

New Delhi(NDLS)

06:40

Amritsar Jn(ASR)

14:20

Amritsar Swarna Shatabdi

12029

New Delhi(NDLS)

07:20

Amritsar Jn(ASR)

13:45

Paschim Express

12925

New Delhi(NDLS)

11:05

Amritsar Jn(ASR)

19:20

Amritsar Swarna Shatabdi

12030

Amritsar Jn(ASR)

16:50

New Delhi(NDLS)

23:05

Paschim Express

12926

Amritsar Jn(ASR)

08:10

New Delhi(NDLS)

16:25

By Road

Amritsar is well connected by road with all the major cities in North India. It is easily accessible by bus or car. The major connected cities are Chandigarh (~230 km) and Delhi (~450 km). The nearest inter-state bus terminus is 1.1 km away from the city center. The major bus services are Redbus and Volvo. You can use Redbus to book your tickets online.

Languages

The city of Amritsar has a blend of languages owing to the fact that people of many religions AND cultures reside here. Among the many languages spoken in Amritsar, the following are the prominent ones.

Punjabi

Hindi

Urdu

English

However, Punjabi is the eminent language in Amritsar.

Transport (along with the price)

In a crowded city like Amritsar, there are a few local transport services to choose from.

Cycle Rickshaws

The city has rickshaws and e-rickshaws to cover the short distances in the city and these are one of the popular forms to see some of the minute city details and move in the nook and cranny of the city. The cost is around INR 10 to INR 40.

Autos (Tuk-tuks)

If you want to save time, there is an option of autos or tuk-tuks that are running all around the city. Do keep in mind that these autos do not have a fare meter installed on them and hence you should settle the fares before getting in. Usually, these autos are a shared means of transport. An auto typically costs you somewhere between INR 50 to INR 100.

Buses

This public transport is a cheap form of local transport costing around INR 20. There is a free bus-service run by the Golden Temple Trust, which carries tourists from the railway station to the Golden Temple and is a quick way to cover this route.

Rental cars/cabs

There are many car rental services available in Amritsar which can be availed for sightseeing. These services have become quite famous recently due to their alleviation in other forms of transport. Cab services by Ola cabs are a famous, quick and convenient form for tourists. These cabs can be booked using the Ola app (Android | iOS) which provides all required information about maps, drive details and cost to the customers.

Must have Apps

Ola App

In recent times Ola cabs(Android | iOS) has become the most congenial and convenient form of local transportation in Amritsar. The App allows customers to make payment through commodious options. For solo travelers, it is a reliable transportation form as it includes security options in its policy.

Food Panda

If you do not feel like going to restaurants for having your meal, Food Panda(Android | iOS) can be your savior. It provides you delivery of food from almost all the restaurants with the guarantee of on-time delivery.

Accuweather

Weather can be dubious so it is better to have Accuweather(Android | iOS) app handy before you plan to visit different places in Amritsar and to be prepared for the unpredictable weather.

Oyo Rooms

For any untoward happening with hotel bookings, Oyo Rooms(Android | iOS) are prominent in last minute booking offering discounts and other offers on room bookings.

Local Shopping Places

The Local Arcade in the Amritsar is always full of commotion. The local shopping places in Amritsar not only give you the local spirit but is also budget friendly. Apart from clothing, you can also buy the local souvenirs.

Hall Bazaar

Hall Bazaar is one of the trademark old markets in Amritsar. It is on the way to the Golden temple. There are many things you can buy. Patiala salwar-kameez is considered as the traditional dress for the women of Punjab. There are shops for Jootis which is the traditional footwear. There are certain shops in hall bazar that sell the famous spices of Punjab and food items in which Amritsar is specialized, like papad wadiyan. Shops of weaponry sell swords and daggers called Kirpan.

Katra Jaimal Singh Bazaar

Katra Jaimal Singh bazaar is another famous market in Amritsar for the textile and clothing items. The place sells colorful and fine fabrics. The market is famous for Phulkari and good quality of wool. You will also find woodwork goods.

Guru Bazaar

Guru bazaar is for jewellery shopping. The main attraction you can find here is the traditional Indian jewellery which is called jadau. Here you can also find chess pieces which are carved out from the British time, chess pieces carved out from ivory, sandalwood are very famous here.

Lawrence Road

Lawrence Road is the shopping haven where everything from branded clothing stores, modern wares of carpets to bangles, shawls, woolen textiles are found. There are eating joints and coffee shops where you can satisfy your hunger in the middle of your shopping spree. There are numerous shops to buy Indian sweets, Novelty Sweets being one of the most famous.

Shastri Market

This place is a buyers’ hub due to it being one of the most popular wholesale markets for textile and garments in Amritsar. This market also carves a niche as a place that is full of accessories to buy. You also come across stores selling ethnic wear.

Paid/Unpaid Sights

Amritsar has a diverse, rich color and has a lot to offer. Tourists find Amritsar comparatively more easy on the budget than other Indian cities because the major attractions of Amritsar are open for exploration without any fees. There are very few places of visit in Amritsar that charge you an entry fee.

Golden Temple

The Golden Temple, Amritsar is not only a central religious place of the Sikhs from all over the world but is symbolic of brotherhood and equality. Everyone, irrespective of caste, creed or race is welcomed to find the inner peace and seek the blessings of almighty. The four entrances of this holy shrine from all four directions, signify that people from every religion are equally welcomed. Best time to visit is in the morning and also do not forget to have langar after seeking the blessings. You can hire a taxi from your hotel, book a cab or local transport in form of autos and rickshaws are available.

Gobindgarh Fort

Gobindgarh Fort is a historic fort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh located in the center of the city of Amritsar. The Fort was earlier occupied by the Indian Army but is now open to the public from 10th February 2017. Today the fort is a repository of Punjab’s glorious history spanning over 257 years and has attracted a number of visitors by hosting 7D Maharaja Ranjit Singh show, Kanda Boldiyan Ne (The whispering walls) which is one of its kind. The Fort is operational from 10:00 am to 9:30 pm. The whispering walls show starts only in the evening and is hence the best time for the tourists. The 7D show runs from morning until the night time. The entry ticket is INR 25 without the inclusion of the shows.

Jallianwala Bagh

Jallianwala Bagh is at a walkable distance from Golden Temple. It is a public garden and holds a history that leaves people teary-eyed. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April 1919 when Colonel Reginald Dyer ordered British Army to open fire on the gathered people for straight 10 min. There is a historical well and the walls still have bullet marks. The Jallianwala Bagh is open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. There is no entry fee.

Wagah Border

Wagah Border joins India and Pakistan and partition line was drawn here at the time of Indian partition in the year 1947. This border attracts a large number of tourists due to The Wagah Border Ceremony every evening before sunset with the much-vaunted parade by soldiers of both the countries with the national anthem being played of India and Pakistan. As the sun sets, the iron gates at the border are opened by the soldiers and the two flags are lowered in a synchronized manner. The flags are then folded and the ceremony ends with a retreat after handshake between soldiers from either side and the gates close thereafter. Open Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. The Wagah border ceremony takes place at 4:15 pm in winters and 5:15 pm in summers but to avoid any last minute chaos, it is advisable to reach by 3:00 pm. It is easy to hire a taxi from the Jallianwala Bagh for Wagah Border. Shared taxis are readily available and will cost around INR 100/ INR 150 per head. There is no entry fee for the Wagah Border.

Sadda Pind

Sadda Pind is a perfect imitation of the Punjabi culture in form of village scene depicted by mud houses, women singing regional songs, shops selling ethnic goods, artisans creating traditional artifacts. This artificial village gives you the right feel of the Punjabi culture, blend of colors and understanding of the Punjabi hospitality. Sadda Pind’s day packages with lunch/dinner are Adult: 650 INR, Children (up to 4 ft height): 500 INR. Address: Behind Guru Nanak Dev University, Main bypass road, Amritsar. Phone: +91-183-5082277 Mobile: +91-99152-44999 Website: https://saddapind.co.in/

Local & International Cuisines (where to find these!)

Amritsar has been rightly depicted as the food capital of Punjab.

Local Cuisine

"First we eat, then we do everything else"– M.F.K. Fisher

This clearly defines a Punjabi who is a connoisseur of good food. For the Punjabis, food comes before any work not only for themselves but being a true host, they make sure no person who visits Punjab leaves without being mesmerized with food. The abundance of milk, dry fruits, spices and food grains ever since the settlement took place in Amritsar, has made it a leading trading center. As a result of the easy availability of all these ingredients, it has become a food-lovers haven. Everything in the city revolves around food be it festivals, social gatherings or prayers. Only good food has the power to satisfy a true Punjabi. From the sweetest to the spiciest dishes, one can find it all in Amritsar and local dishes are certainly not for the calorie conscious people.

Langar Ka Prasad

The Langar is the term from Sikhism for the community kitchen in the Gurudwaras that serve a free vegetarian meal to all the visitors and The kitchen of Golden temple has been proudly listed in the largest kitchens of the world serving 50,000 people every day and is open 24X7.

Amritsari Kulcha

Kulcha is the maida bread baked in the tandoor. It is crisped with potato and cauliflower stuffing, drenching in butter it gives the right blend of spices.

Beera Chicken House and Makhan Fish & Chicken Corner

The Beera Chicken House, located at Majitha Road is not the traditional red or charred tandoori chicken, rather it is a whole chicken, marinated in spices and roasted to give you a taste that you will never get over. Their recipe for tandoori chicken has been in existence since 1972. Just around the corner from this place is the Makhan Fish & Chicken Corner, home to the tastiest fish tikkas. These fish are taken from the Beas river and fried lightly in a batter. They aim to provide real Punjabi Cuisine taste.

Lassi

In Amritsar where people swear by ghee and lassi, one must not leave the city without this delightful sweet buttermilk aka Lassi. To get the best of Lassi, go to Ahuja Milk Bhandar or Gian Chand Lassi wale.

Sarson ka Saag with Makki ki Roti

This local dish of Amritsar is available during the whole year in the restaurants but for the best taste, it is preferred to try this in the winters.Best places to have this is Brothers Dhaba near Golden Temple.

International Cuisine

After all the wobbling your stomach would have gone through, if you plan on trying international cuisines, Amritsar has got you covered. There are multiple restaurants that provide Italian, Chinese & Mexican as per your cravings. You can try out the following restaurants.

Temptation Restaurant – Get the Continental, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, French dishes at this peaceful environment.

Pizzeria, Ranjit Avenue- At the affordable price you get the best Italian dishes and the interiors give a luxurious feel.

I am an engineering graduate who is passionate about traveling and tasting different kinds of food. I find solace in writing and it is something I want to always be associated with. I like presenting the views about different things in the most authentic and different way.

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Reviews

This experience with City On Pedals was a priceless, genuine Amritsar experience that I would highly recommend to travelers and tourists alike and is something you can’t easily get unless you’re with a well connected local.– Charm Bartolay

I believe I was the first ever customer, when I did this tour in mid-December.
The guide had an incredible knowledge about the city, its heritage, architecture, culture and history, as well as the culinary scene!
A must do if when you visit Amritsar!– Jens Fisker

My wife and I took this tour after finding out about it through Instagram. It was a great experience. We cycled to areas not found in any guide books, and to places we wouldn’t even be able to find if tried. Many great food stops along the way. Can’t recommend this enough!– Steven G

One of the best instant connection I have made in life….City on Pedals, the journey started with a simple comment on instagram picture and ended with best of the experience, lots of cultural information about Amritsar and whole lot of finger licking food. Rishab and team is doing great work. The enthusiasm and passion for City on Pedals is unmatched. Would love to do it again and again. Keep it up guys….you are doing the best!!– Bhumika

We were approached by two very polite reps with information about their cycle tour – it sounded really interesting and we signed up for the next day. And they delivered what they have promised – an exciting exploration through Amritsar’s parks, streets and alleys, discovering hidden corners and learning about the history, architecture and culinary treats. I can only recommend it – if you like to get up early 😉– Bhoermann

Our City on Pedals excursion proved there is much more to Amristar than the Golden Temple.
An excellent digital marketer, Rishabh let us know about his company by commenting on one of my Instagram posts (with an #Amritsar hashtag)—and within minutes my husband and I were able to quickly and easily book a tour for the following morning. The next morning, we were delighted to discover that we would be the only ones on the tour: a private exploration of the city with Rishabh and his associate.– Brian

We were a fam of 4 (husband+wife + 2 teenage kids), who took a 6 am cycling trip with City on Pedals, in Amritsar. We were very ably guided through the city with Rishab leading from the front and Aman bringing up the rear. They took us to a bunch of eating places and heritage places too! It was a leisurely 4 hour trip and Rishab was an extremely gracious host -treating us to jalebis, tea, lassi, kulchas, puris, halwa and at the same time interspersing this with historical, cultural and contemporary Amritsar gems(some hidden ones too). Highly recommend this adventure.– Aginder

“Great experience, worth the effort!” – Arianna

We had booked the two morning walking tours, which included the Golden Temple and the hidden gems of the city. It was hard to get up that early but it proved to be incredible! Our first guide Aman was extremely knowledgeable and showed us the Golden Temple, the kitchens, the morning ceremony and much more! The second tour which followed immediately after was like a behind the scenes Amritsar, and at our request they even took us to Jainawala Bag!
If you’re looking for a genuine experience to discover the city, City on Pedals is the only one you need!Read more on TripAdvisor ≫

“Nicely conducted tour with caring guide Aman” – Panthil

Did the street food tour . There were about 6 stops. Every stop served excellent varieties of street food like gol gappa, paneer pakoda, momos , soda, aam papad, gulab jamun, jalebi etc. The main course was at brothers pure veg dhaba , the thali served there was world class. It had authentic punjabi taste with medium spices. The food stalls were very hygienic. We did the tour by cycle rickshaw. Had a memorable time. The guide and cycle rickshaw pullers were very nice. Five out five stars to this tour!Read more on TripAdvisor ≫

“Nice Street Food Tour” – Eren Hasan

We went on a bicycle street food tour with Aman which was great fun! We had a good selection of food and he kept checking that we were okay on the bikes on the challenging Amritsar roads!

They are a really conscientious company who seem to genuinely care about giving a good experience to the customers 🙂Read more on TripAdvisor ≫

“Nice evening spent trying Street food on bicycles.” – Jasnesh

Went with my brother (only 2 of us on the tour). Guide was Aman. He was very humble. We are of Indian background so knew most of the food, that’s why Aman himself didn’t go too much into the details of each food. Visited around 8-9 stalls. It was a nice experience to try the local street food of Amritsar. Favorite was the jalebi at the end and momo and gol gappa. Just be careful while cycling in the busy streets. It is not for the faint-hearted.Read more on TripAdvisor ≫

“Fantastic Tours & Guides” – Nicola

I did 3 tours with this company, the Wagah Border Tour, the Golden Temple Walking Tour and the Amritsar Heritage Walking Tour. They were all really good but my favourite was the Golden Temple one. The guides are very knowledgeable and the tours are great value. I can’t recommend them enough.Read more on TripAdvisor ≫

The Hidden Secrets Cycle Tour and Golden Temple are must do activities when in Amritsar.

You will see sights and learn things that even lifelong residents of Amritsar do not know. It is definitely worth skipping that 6th kingfisher, setting your alarm and getting up early to enjoy these tours and the warm hospitality of this company and the people of Punjab.

I would like to say a huge thanks to Rishab for accommodating me at literally the last minute (I’m sorry for waking you up) and to Amandeep for 2 great Tours and for kindly giving me lifts to the start of the bike tour and to my hotel. The ride on a back of a scooter was an experience in itself.

Thanks and best wishes! I look forward to following your success on social media and be reminded of a truly unique birthday 🙂Read more on TripAdvisor ≫